Reviews

It's one step forwards and two steps back as Mario Party 10 offers three game modes, two of which are utter garbage. If you play Mario Party 10 just for its newest offering, Bowser Party, there is a good time to be had. However, if you devel into the core game mode, Mario Party, or were suckered into playing the Amiibo Party mode, you're going to have a bad time.

The Pros:

+Bowser Party+Bowser Party is competitive and frustrating in the way the old games were.+Bowser Party is ridiculous, over-the-top fun that will have you yelling at friends and the game itself.

The Cons:

-Everything else-Mario Party is the same co-op, everyone moves together, gameplay that 9 offered.-Amiibo Party is a prime example of how gimmicky and useless Amiibos can be.

ShogunGamer.com Rating :

7

Well, spoiler alert for this review I guess: It's going to be one of those unfortunate middling ones. Mario Party 10 does about 50% of its game right, but continues to ignore the core features that made players like myself fans of the franchise in the first place. Whoever told Nintendo that Mario Party should become a co-op game clearly doesn't understand why we were all playing it in the first place.

If you had not played DmC Devil May Cry on last gen consoles when it originally released then this Definitive Edition is a no-brainer; the gameplay is still fun and holds up well. If you did previously play it though, the big question is "should you rebuy?" I'd say yes simply because while the graphics have been updated slightly, but the biggest improvements come in the form of listening to fan feedback and the wish list of features requested, which is delivered in bulk.

The Pros:

+Keeps the same great gameplay as the original release but improved with new modifiers. +New features such as lock-on and turbo mode make the game feel refreshing.+All DLC included is a bonus, especially the Virgil campaign.

The Cons:

-Bump to 1080p / 60fps, but seemingly no work on the muddy textures, so it can look dated.-Certain cutscenes ignore your chosen DLC skin and will show Dante in default clothing instead briefly.

ShogunGamer.com Rating :

9

So, let's get this out of the way first and foremost. There was a small uprising of unhappy fans when DmC originally released because of the new artists style and character designs compared to the original Dante and others in the original games. Because Dante's look was changed too drastically, many fans didn't like the change and possibly didn't give the reboot a chance. Luckily though Capcom did create a fun game by enlisting the help of Ninja theory, known for Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (one of my favorite games) and Heavenly Sword.

If you were to take the basic components of Rollercoaster Tycoon, BoomBlox, and Mario Kart roll those into one downloadable title and layer it with a bunch of dark Portal-esque humour, you'd get what ScreamRide is trying for. I say trying because it feels a little clunky putting all those things together in one game and the longevity of the package will be based entirely around its community.

The Pros:

+Destruction Mode is a lot of fun, just straight up.+The tools for creation are vast and easy enough to use.+Playing as the rollercoaster-rider is a lot more fun than I would have guessed.

The Cons:

-Xbox 360 version doesn't have community content.-The longevity of the game is entirely community dependant.-If people don't make new rides you'll run out of stuff to do quickly.

ShogunGamer.com Rating :

7

ScreamRide serves as the latest in a series of Microsoft Studio attempts at games that focus on community. Plenty of games have released under the banner, primarily for promotion of Xbox Live's Marketplace and in most cases the Games with Gold feature. Sometimes this has given us some fantastic games and other times it's become nothing more than a failed experiment.

Xenoverse feels like the ultimate Dragon Ball game. Not only does it allow you to play as virtually every Dragon Ball character to have ever existed in the original universe, both single player and multiplayer, but it allows you to inject yourself into the world via the character creation. Dragon Ball Xenoverse has dethroned the epic experience of Budokai, and may take the crown for best DBZ-themed game ever.

The Pros:

+Deep combat system +Impressive character customization and building +Inventive storyline and retelling of the DBZ Universe +Fixed issues from previous titles, like Tenkaichi +MMO feature set makes socializing in-game a whole lot of fun

I've been playing Dragon Ball games since I started watching the TV show way back in the early '90s. The franchise has proved an unstoppable juggernaut, acting as flagship for Shonen Jump for years (until One Piece and Naruto grew into popularity).

If you're someone who puts a lot of time into their 3DS library as is, the New 3DS XL is a pretty worthwhile upgrade. While the differences between the new console and the 3DS XL are pretty minimal, they are super handy. The face-tracking 3D makes a huge difference. I'm sure that when New 3DS-specific software comes out we'll see some good use from the additional shoulder buttons and right thumbstick. If you're like me and still rocking the original 3DS regularly though, I wholly advise you to go and get one right now and then maybe play some Mario Kart with me.

The Pros:

+ Massively improved face-tracking 3D makes slight movement during gameplay a reality + New right thumbstick-nipple for sexy romps and additional controls + Improved battery life means you can play with the thumbstick-nipple for even longer during those lonely nights + Additional shoulder buttons that might be implemented in a game someday + Amiibo support + Did I mention nipples

The Cons:

- Due to comparable specs, might not be a worthwhile investment for current 3DS XL owners - It is not packaged with a charger, which is a detriment to new owners - SD card slot not super easily accessible

ShogunGamer.com Rating :

9

The eternal burning question: should you upgrade your console hardware? What if the new system isn’t really even “next-gen”? What upgrades do you get? What new games are immediately available for it? Has the string of questions become annoying yet? Should I stop? I’ll stop.

Evolve has the unfortunate feeling of being a part of a game. While the concept is fully realized, and there's plenty of gameplay hours, character diversity, and maps/modes to explore... it will always feel like a multiplayer-only disc release like this is lacking, perhaps thanks to the release of Team Fortress 2 in the Orange Box.

The Pros:

+Interesting and original game-play style+Diverse character roster+Well balanced gameplay+Awesome character design (monsters and hunters alike!)

The Cons:

-Limited appeal that will drop off quickly over time-Feels like it's lacking real "meat" to the overall package

ShogunGamer.com Rating :

7

The concept of a 4-v-1 multiplayer game-style is something that I just happen to find exciting. It's doubly interesting for me when you throw in a class-based shooter system, where the 4 that are working against the 1 are forced to play complementary roles. Team-based gameplay at its finest, if you ask me. When Evolve was announced, and I heard we could not only have all of that, but got to play as a big bad-ass monster, I was totally sold.

Majora's Mask 3D is a beautifully remastered port of one of the best entries in the Zelda series. Along with a fresh coat of rendering come fluidly redone animations, fresh takes on boss battles, and the same time-based, mask-swapping, side-questing gameplay that you either loved or hated the first time around.

The Pros:

+Beautifully re-rendered+Thankfully, minimal touch-screen integration+New twists on boss battles, so you have something new to figure out+Gameplay transfers very well to the 3DS, much like Ocarina of Time 3D+There's a fishing mini-game. Bitches love fishing mini-games

The Cons:

-For a die-hard fan, some changes might be annoying-Fluid camera controls only work with a Circle Pad Pro-Streamlined Bomber's Notebook now mangled to incorporate any and all quests; storyline based or not

ShogunGamer.com Rating :

8

I have historically been a massive fan of Majora's Mask. To take something like the Legend of Zelda and steep it in death, darkness and mystery was tantalizing to me, and the ominous sense of foreboding it had against Ocarina of Time's straightforward dungeon-crawling Zelda-ness was so different. I don't fight people who say they couldn't get past the time-constraint gameplay, because it was actually always a gimmick that I hated, too.

Dying Light is a natural evolution of the first-person zombie-survival genre that Techland created with 2011's Dead Island. It will remain, for the foreseeable future, as the best argument for a developer ditching the chains of an established franchise and trying something new (even if it is in the same realm/genre).

The Pros:

+Smooth Gameplay+Impressive Graphics+Intelligent Advancement of the Genre+Slick Movement and Game Mechanics

The Cons:

-"Unique" Controls Serve Only to Confuse-The Story Ends Up Being a Bit Bland and Predictable

ShogunGamer.com Rating :

7

I was a pretty big fan of Dead Island. When it first dropped, I was under the impression it was going to be nothing more than a cool concept, and one of the best game trailers ever released. However, the prospect of surviving a zombie outbreak in the first-person, building and maintaining your own catalogue of weapons, and being able to bash zombie-brains with a friend or three ended up being one of the more enjoyable experiences I had in 2011.

Coming from Far Cry 3, the gameplay feels very much the same, but with a couple of new additions. However, the environment, the weapon selection, and the incredible feeling of lighting forests on fire and stomping on enemy soldiers while riding an elephant does a lot to detract from the negatives and deliver an overall bad-ass experience.

The Pros:

+ You are a living murder machine + Beautifully rendered environment + Easy to grasp gameplay + You can ride an elephant, what more do you want

The Cons:

- Gameplay can be very samey from Far Cry 3 to 4 - Hunting can be made almost too easy with the inclusion of Bait - Outposts and Bell Towers are a little bit repetitive

ShogunGamer.com Rating :

8

A lot of games are doing moral/amoral story-lines now. I totally get the appeal as well. Titles like the Fallout series really made you feel the full weight of a bad decision, be it through popping a cap in one dude and having a bunch of normally-friendly NPC's come gunning for you or by blowing up a small town and making your daddy express his disappointment in you. Today, I'm going to celebrate Far Cry 4 which allows you to be a total dick to the oppressed people of Kyrat, and totally get away with it.

A collection of four Halo games should have been a cause for much rejoicing for Xbox fans. However, somewhere down the development road the team behind the game collection forgot what made Halo successful the first time around: Multiplayer. Without a working multiplayer at launch (or indeed for a week afterwards) this game feels half-complete.

The Pros:

+Halo 2's visual upgrade is nothing short of stunning.+Having the ability to go through all 4 main Halo games again is awesome.+The menu navigation and selection is slick and easy to use.

The Cons:

-The game was released before it was completed.-Multiplayer is still having issues getting started a week later.-Playlists should be customizable, instead of just preset.

ShogunGamer.com Rating :

6

While we might not hit every single game for review, I'm sure some of you have been wondering where the Halo: Master Chief Collection review has been. It's understandable, especially considering the fact that we've live streamed several hours of the game on our Twitch stream. So here's the down low: We received a review copy of the game about 2 weeks before it came out, however there were issues with the multiplayer/co-op that were going to be addressed in a patch.